Jones Act Claims: League City Oil Rig Accident Lawyer for Galveston County

People who work at sea, on the docks or offshore are protected by federal laws that recognize the inherent dangers. When they are injured on the job, those workers are entitled to specific benefits and may be able to sue their employers for negligence and hazardous working conditions.

Seamen and Longshoremen Injuries • Ship and Barge Crews • Offshore Oil Rig Workers

The Texas Gulf Coast maritime accident attorneys at the Tylka Law Firm help injured seamen and longshoremen assert their rights under the Jones Act and other remedies for medical care, lost income and disability compensation. Based in Galveston County, we have handled maritime injury claims from Texas to Alaska to Boston and as far away as Venezuela and Malaysia. Our clients include U.S. citizens injured in inland waterways, coastal waterways and international waters, as well as citizens of Mexico, Honduras and other foreign countries who are employed by American companies.

This area of the law is complex and employers often give seamen misleading information about their rights. You can call our 24-hour hotline ( 713-829-6048) to arrange a free consultation with an experienced maritime law attorney.

Who Is a Seaman?

A seaman is any man or woman who works on a commercial vessel or whose duties including servicing those vessels. A vessel can be a freight ship or oil tanker; tugboat, pushboat or barge; a commercial fishing boat, ferry or cruise ship; or an offshore platform or jack-up oil rig. Even powerboats and Jet-Skis have been construed as vessels in work-related scenarios.

What Is the Jones Act?

The Jones Act is a federal statute enacted to impart special rights to seamen injured in the performance of their jobs in navigable waters — whether at sea, on the river, or at port. Those rights include:

• Maintenance — Your employer must pay weekly wages and reasonable living expenses (rent, utilities, transportation, food) for the period that you are unable to work because of a duty-related injury.
• Cure — You are entitled to free medical care until you are cleared to resume work or until you reach maximum medical improvement.
• Monetary damages — Unlike land-based workers, seamen can sue their employers directly for negligence, for ordering them into dangerous situations without appropriate safety measures or for hazardous conditions aboard ship (unseaworthiness) that contributed to injury. The Tylka Law Firm has helped hundreds of maritime workers recover compensation for future medical care, projected earnings, permanent disability, and pain and suffering.
• Death benefits — The spouse and dependent children of a seaman killed on duty are entitled to monthly benefits or a settlement for lost income and personal loss.

Longshoremen Injuries — Dock workers and shipyard employees who do not qualify as seamen are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA), which provides medical, wage and permanent disability benefits similar to workers’ compensation, but at substantially better rates.

Experienced Maritime Injury Lawyer

With more than 25 years of experience, attorney Larry Tylka is familiar with how maritime workers are injured on the job: fires and explosions, exposure to toxic chemicals, slip-and-falls on slippery decks, falls overboard and falls from heights, cargo handling accidents and injuries from machinery and equipment. He is skilled at proving the employer’s negligence and maximizing the long-term compensation needed for victims of head trauma, back injuries or paralysis, lost limbs or broken bones, facial disfigurement and other catastrophic and career-ending injuries arising from offshore accidents.

We also know the many ways that injured seamen are mistreated, misinformed and coerced by their employers. You have specific rights, including the right to be transported ashore for medical treatment and the right to choose your own doctors. Beware of any offer to settle your claim before talking to a lawyer — you could be signing away many thousands of dollars in potential compensation or waiving rights to ongoing medical care.

When Justice Matters… We Will Be There for Our Clients

The Tylka Law Firm handles Jones Act and maritime accident cases anywhere in the world. We provide a free initial consultation to answer your questions and explain your rights. Contact us today.

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